Rachel Zegler leads nominations for The Stage Debut Awards

Rachel Zegler has been nominated for best West End debut performer at The Stage Debut Awards.

The Hunger Games and West Side Story star is among eight nominees for the award, joined by Evita co-star Diego Andres Rodriguez.

Zegler, 24, is currently starring as Eva Peron  – Argentina’s former first lady –  in Jamie Lloyd’s new production of the hit musical.

Evita follows Peron’s rise from poverty to become the most powerful woman in Latin America.

Her performance has made headlines as she treats crowds outside the London Palladium to a performance of Don’t Cry For Me Argentina from a balcony during each performance.

The West End debut performer category is the only one voted for by the public and the nominations also include Tosin Cole and Heather Agyepong, the romantic leads in the love story Shifters at the Duke of York Theatre.

Shifters leads the way with three nominations with writer Benedict Lombe named in the best creative West End debut category.

The best performer in a musical category has an all-female shortlist with Leesa Tulley (Why Am I So Single?), Dora Gee (The Mad Ones), Megan Ellis (Muriel’s Wedding The Musical) and Eve Shanu-Wilson (The Phantom Of The Opera) vying for the prize.

For the first time, the nominations come from productions in all four home nations.

The winners will be revealed in a ceremony hosted by Julian Clary on September 28.